Store launcher



United States Patent 3,315,564 STORE LAUNCHER William H. Hazlett, .Ir., Warriugton, and Curtis K. Baker, Warminster, Pa., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Oct. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 505,772 8 Claims. (Cl. 89-1.5)

The present invention relates to launchers and more particularly to launchers for ejecting stores from containers housing the stores.

A new development in the shipping, storage and launching of the heterogeneous array of military stores used in anti-submarine warfare embodies a container having a common form factor. The novel container seals the equipment therein and is provided with a cap at the forward end thereof having provisions for receiving a propelling force to urge the store or equipment from the container and a cap at the aft end thereof designed to separate from the container when a predetermined amount of force is applied thereto. The resultant advantages real ized from the adoption of this novel container concept is in the increased reliability of the equipment housed therein by reason of the equipment being hermetically sealed within the container. Additionally, the container protects the equipment against rough handling, shock, vibration, and other exposure to the elements. This new'container concept is described in application Ser. No. 392,665, now US. Patent No. 3,266,372, of Harold J. Mack et al., for a Shipping and Launching Container, filed Aug. 27, 1964, and application Ser. No. 491,056, of Robert F. Kelly et al., for Ministore Launching System, filed Sept. 28, 1965;

The launchers presently utilized to eject the store from the container and eject both from the aircraft embody sophisticated and complex arrangements. In addition to a clamping arrangement for urging the packaged container into the firing chamber or breach of the launcher, the launcher employs various lever and crank arrangements both for releasing the clamp when the store has been fired from the container and for opening doors at the bottom of the launcher to eject the empty container therefrom.

By reason of the aforementioned complex and sophisticated launching components, the factor of reliability was significantly decreased. Therefore, since the entire anti-submarine warfare mission depends upon the proper functioning of the launching apparatus there is a need for a simple, reliable and inexpensive launching system.

The aforesaid disadvantages and drawbacks of the existing launchers are eliminated in the present invention wherein: (1) the packaged container is clamped into the firing breach mechanism; (2) the store is ejected from the container through an appropriate launch tube; and (3) immediately thereafter the empty container is ejected through the launch tube.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable launching device for packaged stores.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable launching device for launching stores from a package through a launch tube and for subsequently ejecting the spent cartridge from the launch tube thereby eliminating the need for discharge doors and the complex mechanisms required to operate the same.

Various other objects and advantageswill appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed 0 out hereinafter in connection with the appended clalms. 7

In the drawings:

W skin line and which is connected .to the 3,315,564 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section view of the launcher and the combination store and package positioned therein immediately prior to firing;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the actuating mechanisms; and

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate in schematic form the operation of the novel launching assembly of FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention and with particular reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein a launching pod generally indicated at 10 which is located on the fuselage of an aircraft, not shown, outside of the pylon 11. It is understood that the pylon 11 is properly aerodynamically streamlined and is internally dimensioned to permit a package to pass into the launching pod or launcher 10., Pod or launcher 10 includes a cylindrical center section 12 having an opening 14 located at the top thereof having communication with the passageway lla of the pylon 11 and of a length slightly larger than the length of the package 20. It should be further observed that the launcher 10 is also aerodynamically streamlined but is not shown for purposes of simplicity of illustration.

The package generally indicated at 20 includes a container 21 and a store 22 contained therein. The container 21 encapsulates the store 22 and functions as a storage and shipping container as well as a vehicle from which the store 22 may be launched. The container 21 includes a right circular cylinder 21a sealed at the fore and aft ends thereof by caps 23 and 24, respectively. A further and more detailed description of the package 20 may be found in the aforementioned copending applications.

As viewed in FIG. 1, the propelling force for ejecting and launching-the store 22' from the container 21 is supplied by system 60 having a pneumatic source of pressure. A breech block 40, to be described more fully below, receives a source of pneumatic pressure through conduit 41 and includes a tapered nose portion 42 forming a seal with an O-ring 26 when the package 20 is moved into engagement with the breech block 40 by the clamping mechanism to be described below. O-ring 26 is seated within a groove formed in the cap 23. A cylindrical section 23a forms an integral part of cap 23 and is sealed at the aft end thereof by a frangible seal 23b which is also formed integrally with the forward cap 23 and of a nature to rupture when a predetermined, preset force is applied thereto.

In order to provide consistent ejection of the store 22,'a piston generally noted at 27 is provided, the detailed description of which may be found in the aforementioned co-pending patent applications.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the launcher 10 further includes fore and aft bulkheads 31 and 32, respectively, positioned at the ends of the cylindrical central member 21. These bulkheads 31 and 32 serve to support a nose cone 33 and launch tube 34, respectively. An aperture 32a is formed in the aft bulkhead 32 to provide communication between 'the cylindrical chamber 12 and the launch tube 34, the aperture being configured to permit the passage of the package 20 therethrough. The lower portion of bulkhead 32 is formed with a supporting block 32b having a slot 320 formed therein.

The forward bulkhead 31 includes a breech block 40 secured thereto which receives a source of pneumatic pressure through conduit 41. Appropriate beveled surfaces are formed on both the breech block 40 and complementary surfaces on the cap 23 for guiding and properly positioning the package 20 within the breech block 40.

The lower portion of the cylindrical chamber 12 is constructed with a cradle member 50 which has the purfuselage by a a pose of positioning a package 20 in substantially longitudinal alignment with the breech block 40. Cradle 50 includes an arm 51 extending outwardly therefrom and housing a microswitch 55, the purpose of which will be described more fully below.

The pneumatic energy system used to fire or eject the store 20 and container 21 from the launcher 10 is illustrated generally at 60 and includes a nozzle 61 communicating with the conduit 41 formed in breech'block 40 and a pair of pressure lines 62 and 63 connected to the clamp mechanism 70, now to be described.

The clamping mechanism generally noted at 70 is appropriately connected to the wall of the cylindrical chamber 12 and includes a cylinder 71 having a piston 72 slidable therein and a rack member 73 secured to the piston 72 and including teeth 73a along a portion of the length thereof. Slot 320 in block 32b slidably receives and positions rack member 73 and additionally pivotally connects a pawl 75 thereto, the latter including teeth 75a intermeshing with teeth 73a on the rack member 73. Pawl 75 includes a tongue 75b and a leaf spring 76 attached thereto for resilient engagement with the aft cap 24 of the package 20 for urging the package forward into the breech block 40. Pressure lines 62 and 63 representing clamping and unclamping lines, respectively, communicate with the cylinder 71 to urge the rack member either forwardly or rearwardly within the block 32b and to thereby rotate the pawl 75 to engage or disengage the package 20.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the electrical and pneumatic system 80 for clamping, unclamping and firing the package 20 from the launcher 10 is illustrated, the pneumatic system being illustrated generally at 60. In this arrange ment, a source of high pressure air 64 is connected through regulator 65 to a storage container 66. The pneumatic pressure output of the container 66 is applied through valve 67 to launcher 10 through nozzle 61 and to the unclamping side of cylinder 71 through pressure line 63. Similarly, the source of high pressure air at 64 is coupled to regulator 68, which, through clamp valve 69, provides pressurized gas to the clamping side of cylinder 71 through pressure line 62. Microswitch 55 is electrically coupled to a normally closed holding relay 55a which is electrically connected to clamp valve 69. A firing switch 55b, not shown in FIG. 1, is electrically coupled to the firing valve 67 and to the breaking coil of the normally closed holding relay 55a. It should be understood that various delays, not shown, are appropriately interposed within the system to provide for the proper sequence of events, as described below.

In operation, the package 20 falls into the launcher 10 and when positioned within the cradle 50 actuates the microswitch 55. The depressed microswtich 55, acting through the normally closed holding relay 55a, opens the clamp valve 69 which in turn allows the pneumatic source to enter the clamping side of the cylinder 71 to actuate the pawl 75 and thereby lock the store 20 in the launcher 10. When the firing switch 55 is actuated, the normally closed holding relay 55a is released which allows the cylinder 71 to bleed the clamping gas to the atmosphere. At the same time, the firing valve 67 is opened permitting the high pressure air from the storage container to pass to the launcher 10 through nozzle 61 and to the unclamping side of the cylinder 71 through pressure line 63. After the firing of the store 22 and the cylinder 21, the launcher is prepared to receive the next package.

Referring now to the schematic representation of FIG. 3a, the drawings being in exaggerated form for purposes of simplicity of illustration, there is illustrated therein the position of the package 20 and associated elements with respect to the breech block 40 immediately after the pneumatic energy passes through the conduit 41 and engages the forward cap 23 of the package 20. It is seen that the entire package 20 moves slightly out of the breech 4 block 40. It should be undestood that at this time the clamping mechanism has been released thereby permitting this initial outward movement of the package 20 from the breech block 40.

In the position of FIG. 3b the pneumatic energy has reached the predetermined and preset value sufficient to rupture the frangible seal 23a and the pneumatic force entering through the cylindrical chamber formed thereby urges the store 22 and associated piston 27 outwardly of the container indicated bythe arrows. An equivalent force equal and opposite to that urging the store 22 and associated piston 27 out of the container 21 urges the container 21 and the associated cap 23 forward into the breech block 40 and is also indicated by directional arrows.

As viewed in FIG. 30, the continued forward movement of the container in the direction of the arrow shown causes compression of the gas between the forward cap 23 and the breech block 40. Simultaneously with this compression the store 22 and piston 27 are ejected from the container 21 and tube 34 thereby causing a partial vacuum to form in the area adjacent the aft end of the package 20 The combination of this vacuum formed and the reaction to the compression of the gas between cap 23 and breech block 40 causes the emtpy container 21 to be subsequently discharged through the launching tube 34.

It is therefore seen that the launcher described above eliminates the complex and sophisticated launching components of the prior art and provides a simple, inexpensive and reliable launching device for launching stores from a package and for subsequently ejecting the spent cartridge.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A launching mechanism for ejecting a store from its shipping, storage and launching container and for subsequently ejecting the empty container, the container including a shea-rable end-cap at the forward end thereof and a cap at the aft end thereof having means located thereon for receiving a source of launching pressure and including an fangible seal which is ruptured when a predetermined pressure source is applied thereto, comprising:

a chamber;

a slot in said chamber providing the container with access to said chamber;

breech block means at one end of said chamber for positioning the aft end of the container and for providing an ejection force thereto;

a force exerting means at the other end of said chamber for engaging the forward end of the container and urging the aft end thereof against said breech block means;

and launching tube means communicating with said other end of said chamber.

2. The launching system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said breech block means envelops a portion of the aft end of the container and further includes a port therein in substantial alignment with the frangible seal for transmitting the ejection force to the cap at the aft end of the container.

3. The launching system as defined in claim 1 wherein the ejection force is pressurized gas.

4. The launching system as defined in claim 2 wherein the ejection force is pressurized gas.

5. The launching system as defined in claim 4 further including:

means cooperating with said force exerting means for moving said force extertin'g means between a released position immediately prior to the ejection of the store 5 6 and the container and a clamping position urging the 8. The launching mechanism as described in claim 7 container against said breech block and the frangible wherein: Seal into alignment With Said P said rack means includes a piston at one end thereof 6. The launching system as defined in claim 5 wherein bl i hi a piston cylinder;

said launching tube means is capable of permitting the 5 passage of the store and the container therethrough.

7. The launching mechanism as defined in claim 6 and pneumatic means cooperating with said cylinder to actuate said piston and. associated rack.

wherein: References Cited by the Applicant said force exerting means includes a pawl plvotally UNITED STATES PATENTS connected to said chamber, 10 a tongue on i l; 2,644,364 7/1953 Nass. and rack means engaging said pawl and moving said 2,979,991 4/ 1961 B'uschefs et ton gue between said released position and said clamping position, SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LAUNCHING MECHANISM FOR EJECTING A STORE FROM ITS SHIPPING, STORAGE AND LAUNCHING CONTAINER AND FOR SUBSEQUENTLY EJECTING THE EMPTY CONTAINER, THE CONTAINER INCLUDING A SHEARABLE END-CAP AT THE FORWARD END THEREOF AND A CAP AT THE AFT END THEREOF HAVING MEANS LOCATED THEREON FOR RECEIVING A SOURCE OF LAUNCHING PRESSURE AND INCLUDING AN FANGIBLE SEAL WHICH IS RUPTURED WHEN A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE SOURCE IS APPLIED THERETO, COMPRISING: A CHAMBER; A SLOT IN SAID CHAMBER PROVIDING THE CONTAINER WITH ACCESS TO SAID CHAMBER; BREECH BLOCK MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID CHAMBER FOR POSITIONING THE AFT END OF THE CONTAINER AND FOR PROVIDING AN EJECTION FORCE THERETO; A FORCE EXERTING MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CHAMBER FOR ENGAGING THE FORWARD END OF THE CONTAINER AND URGING THE AFT END THEREOF AGAINST SAID BREECH BLOCK MEANS; AND LAUNCHING TUBE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OTHER END OF SAID CHAMBER. 